What I’ve Learned from 18 Years on LinkedIn

Today, LinkedIn congratulated me on 18 years on the platform.

Thanks?!

I had no idea it had been that long. Honestly, I just came back here after a 3-year hiatus where I wanted nothing to do with it. For a while, I didn’t have much to say. I was focused on a different audience, and frankly, LinkedIn felt like a lot of noise with very little value.

But here I am—back and ready to dive in. Why? Because after some big pivots in my business, I know this is where I can make the biggest impact.

You see, I’ve burned out from corporate hustle more times than I care to admit.

And when I left corporate, I thought I was leaving all that behind. But here’s the thing: Changing your circumstances doesn’t change your habits and beliefs.

I escaped the corporate hustle, only to build my own hustle culture as a solopreneur—and burned out again. It took some serious work (and a lot of unlearning) to finally understand the roots of hustle culture and how to break free.

Now, I see the people who most need the antidote to hustle culture are still right here: corporate employees, entrepreneurs, and leaders trying to navigate this chaotic world of business. And LinkedIn is where these conversations need to happen.

So, in honor of 18 years of trial, error, and growth on this platform, I’m sharing the top lessons I’ve learned. From connection etiquette to content authenticity, here’s what actually works—as well as a couple of hot tips about what we all could stop doing immediately to keep LinkedIn a space that feels more human and less hustle.

1?? It’s about quality, not quantity.

Having 30K connections doesn’t mean anything if 80% of them are random people you don’t know and will never interact with. Stop sending connection requests with no context. If we’ve never met, worked together, or even exchanged a polite nod at a conference, tell me why you want to connect and how it might benefit both of us. Otherwise ... nope.

2?? Don’t follow me and immediately pitch me.

Nothing screams “I don’t respect your time” like following someone and sliding into their DMs with a sales pitch two seconds later. Build a relationship. Or better yet, build trust. This isn’t speed dating for business.

3?? Engagement is the real currency.

Those 800 likes on a post about your morning smoothie? Cool, I guess. But meaningful conversations and thoughtful comments? That’s where the magic happens. Focus less on performing and more on connecting.

4?? Share your wins—but make it real.

We love seeing you celebrate landing your dream role or nailing a big project. But can we skip the “I’d like to thank the Academy” posts? Be proud, but remember, the human part is what makes your journey inspiring. IMHO, gratitude and humility are a lot more inspiring than pride.

5?? Your posts don’t need to be perfect.

Perfect grammar, corporate buzzwords, and jargon-packed posts are not the vibe. Just speak like a human. (Unless you’re selling to robots, in which case, carry on.)

6?? Not every connection is meant to be forever.

It’s OK to let people go. If your feed feels like a cringe-fest of not-so-humble brags, or a firehose of irrelevant B.S., curate it. Unfollow, disconnect, and keep your mental energy intact. Lord knows, I’ve done my fair share of this!

7?? Managers and corporate leaders, stand down.

If you’re policing your employees’ LinkedIn posts (or worse, discouraging them from being real), please stop. People want to connect with humans, not sanitized corporate mouthpieces. Encourage your team to share their authentic selves—it’s good for them and your company. Let them live.

8?? Stop trying to game the algorithm.

If your content strategy is based on emojis and "Wait for it ... ??????," or AUTOMATIONS (which are against policy FYI), just stop. We can all smell the hustle. Instead, share something genuine and magnetize the right people to you.

And finally, for the love of everything sacred:

9?? Fake jobs, fake opportunities—just stop.

To the people posting "job opportunities" that are really just programs where I have to pay you so you can teach me how to be self-employed: srsly WTF?!?. This should not be allowed on LinkedIn Jobs. It's misleading, predatory, and frankly, gross. If you're teaching coaches to sell coach to coaches who want to learn how to sell coaching, we’ve reached peak absurdity. Do better. And LinkedIn , maybe tighten up those job posting guidelines? I know they’re paying you, but have some integrity, please.

To my true connections who’ve been on this wild ride with me—thank you for ALL the conversations, connections, and community.?

At its best, LinkedIn isn’t just a networking platform. It’s a community—a place where we can inspire each other, collaborate, and create real change in the way we work and live.

So here’s to another 18 years (or at least until we all move to some AI-powered holographic networking platform).

Let’s keep it human, keep it helpful, and most of all, keep it real. Let’s LinkedIn a space where we don’t just survive the hustle but rewrite the narrative entirely.

What’s your biggest lesson from being on this platform? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your perspective!

#LinkedInLessons #FuckTheHustle #Linkedinetiquette #connections